Complaint Review: LOWE'S - oshawa Ontario

As a former Sales Specialist/Cabinet designer of the Kitchen/Cabinet department of Lowe's Home Improvement I can assure you this is not always the case.  I worked as a Sales Specialist in Cabinets for over 6 years and every countertop sold with an installation, includes granite and laminated tops, all had the detail measure fee directly reduced from the cost of the countertop.  I'm not sure how it goes in Canada, the laws may be different up there about this subject, but every store I worked at had this policy for the detail fees:  1) detail measure fee is entered in the computer with the detail fee item number and must be paid upfront before the installer comes to do measure (some exceptions were made for the solid surface tops such as corian, granite, and quartz since the fabricator went and made a physical copy of the countertop once job was sold), 2) once "rough" measurement was done the installer sent the quote back with the total square footage and price countertop is to be sold for, 3) once job is sold then someone from Lowe's sent purchase order to fabricator so they can schedule the template. 

If there was not a measurement done before the job was sold initially, then there could be a difference in squarefootage of the countertop materials needed to fabricate the job.  This causes a lot of confusion with some people.  When pricing countertops it's not always as simple as measuring the top and adding up the square feet.  If you have just straight tops and no corners, this would be the case, but if you have an "L" shaped kitchen countertop or an penninsula (this is where one side is connected to the wall and there is a section that extends over the floor area not attached the walls, usually used as a bar area or large prep space).  When pricing the materials "needed" you have to factor in any waste material to get a more precise cost.  Eventhough some pieces can seem like they'd be used for another section it usually is not.  This is especially true for the sink hole.  The cutout for the sink is usually done with an X cutout which destroys the cutout (this is also usually used to make small samples, which have been factored out of the cost of the top so you're not paying for them to make samples).  Also, eventhough a section of the slab is big enough to be used  for another section of your order there is a chance it could get damaged during fabrication so they figure enough square footage of materials needed so you, the customer, don't have to wait any longer than you have to for your top to get installed.

I do want to remind people as well, if they do not measure before you pay for the job (some installers don't do this anymore due to gas prices and other business expences incurred with measures), the responsibility of the measurements is on you the customer to provide the salesperson proper dimensions, then it's up to the salesperson to accurately interpret those dimensions and figure proper waste and material prices.  If the square footage figured at time of template (the physical copy of the countertops after purchase is made), then the customer is responsible for the difference.  If you read the legal stuff on the contracts it says it on there.  If Lowe's Professional Installer does the measure first then they are responsible for the measurements being correct.  HOWEVER, no matter the measurements before hand, the template determines final dimensions and cost of countertop.  There have been times when I've sold granite or quartz countertops and the purchase price was higher than the actual cost so the customer got the difference refunded.

As for your situation, if you were really billed for a measure fee, not saying you weren't, then you have a options.  1) you can pay it and write on here and be upset then call someone else to fix the problems (oh yeah, the strainer and faucet is usually installed by a licensed plumber as well, not all countertop installers have licensed plumbers on staff to do that, stupid I know, but they don't.  That is usually another charge as well, and another part I don't agree with Lowe's). 2) you can contact the store manager where you purchased the countertop and complain, if you haven't already, and if they are a good store manager they will do what the can to remedy your problems.  3) if you've talked to the store manager and he/she didn't fix the problems (remember, not sure what all the salesperson or anyone at the store has said to you other than what you put in your post), if you feel you need to you can always write a letter to Lowe's corporate, they pretty much tell the managers to get you taken care of and make you happy.  Even if the complaints aren't completely justified, again I want to express I am not saying your reason for being upset is not justified I'm talking in general now, most managers are afraid to have customers talk to corporate because it usually means they have to pay money to make someone happy.

Good luck in getting your countertop and sink install with faucet corrected, hope this sheds some light on how the actual process works from a sales person's point of view, and what you can do to get things corrected if they're not already.

Former Lowe's Cabinet designer and Sales Specialist